Horizontal agitator

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a horizontal agitator for producing a flow in a clarifier, a submersible motor and a propeller drivingly connected thereto forming an assembly unit, wherein a receiving portion for removably attaching the assembly unit is provided and can be supported on the bottom of the clarifier, and wherein a guide for guiding the assembly unit along a substantially vertical movement path between a surfacing position above a maximum nominal sewage level defined for the clarifier and the receiving portion is provided. In order to improve the efficiency of the horizontal agitator and to reduce complexity of manufacture, the guide is formed by at least one first cable extending between the surfacing position and the receiving portion.

The invention relates to a horizontal agitator for producing a flow in aclarifier according to the preamble of Patent Claim 1.

Such a horizontal agitator is known from WO 2008/101633 A1. The knownhorizontal agitator is received on a slide, which is movable verticallyalong a pillar-like frame. With the known horizontal agitator it ispossible to produce a horizontal flow directed in the direction of theframe with a good level of efficiency. Nevertheless, there is the needto further improve the efficiency of the production of the horizontalflow.

The object of the invention is to overcome the disadvantages accordingto the prior art. In particular, a horizontal agitator is to bespecified that enables the production of a horizontal flow with furtherimproved efficiency.

This object is achieved by the features of Claim 1. Expedientembodiments of the invention will emerge from the features of Claims 1to 7.

In accordance with the invention it is proposed for the submersiblemotor to be supported on a bottom of the clarifier via at least twofirst flow guide elements. Since two first flow guide elements are nowused to support the submersible motor, it is possible to dispense withthe frame known in accordance with the prior art for supporting thesubmersible motor.

As a result, the flow resistance caused by the frame is omitted. Theproposed horizontal agitator enables a particularly efficient productionof a horizontal flow. In addition, it can be produced easily andcost-effectively. The term “axial plane” is understood to mean a planethat contains the substantially horizontally running axis of thepropeller.

In accordance with an advantageous embodiment, the first flow guideelements are interconnected via at least one carrier plate receiving thesubmersible motor. The first flow guide elements each extend from thecarrier plate at an angle from 90° to 140°, preferably 100° to 120°. Inparticular if the flow guide elements extend such that they point awayfrom one another at an angle of more than 90° from the carrier plate, aparticularly stable support of the submersible motor can be achieved.

In accordance with a further advantageous embodiment, the first flowguide elements and/or the at least one carrier plate is/are producedfrom folded sheet metal. In particular, it has proven to be advantageousto form the first flow guide elements and/or the at least one carrierplate in a double-walled manner from folded sheet metal. In the case ofa double-walled design, apertures for avoiding air pockets within thedouble wall are provided in at least one of the walls of the doublewall.

In accordance with a further embodiment, the first flow guide elementsare interconnected on the bottom side via at least one connectionelement. The at least one carrier plate, the first flow guide elementsextending therefrom and the at least one connection element thus form atunnel-like structure, which is particularly stable.

In accordance with a further embodiment, a second flow guide element isprovided, which extends in a direction pointing away from the bottom ofthe clarifier from a supporting structure installed on the carrier plateor from the submersible motor. The provision of the second flow guideelement contributes to an improved orientation of the horizontal flow.

In accordance with a particularly advantageous embodiment, the carrierplate with the first flow guide element installed thereon forms a mount,on which an assembly unit formed from the submersible motor and thepropeller is detachably fastened by means of a coupling device. Theassembly unit expediently also comprises the second flow guide element.The detachable fastening of the assembly unit on the mount enables aparticularly simple maintenance and/or repair of the assembly unit. Theassembly unit can be detached from the mount for example by means of acable winch and can then be raised into a position above a level ofwastewater received in the clarifier.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention will be explained in greaterdetail hereinafter on the basis of the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the horizontal agitator,

FIG. 2 shows a sectional view according to FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 shows a front view according to FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 shows a side view according to FIG. 1,

FIG. 5 shows a plan view according to FIG. 1 and

FIG. 6 shows a rear view according to FIG. 1.

With the horizontal agitator shown in the figures, a propeller 1 isconnected via a gearing 2 to a submersible motor 3. The submersiblemotor 3 is operated in such a way that a flow directed from thepropeller 1 to the submersible motor 3 is produced.

The propeller 1, together with the submersible motor 3 and any providedgearing 2, forms an assembly unit that is supported on a front carrierplate 4 a and a rear carrier plate 4 b. First flow guide elements 5extend from both the front carrier plate 4 a and rear carrier plate 4 bat an angle from approximately 100° to 120°. The first flow guideelements 5 are formed in a plate-like manner. The planes thereof runapproximately parallel to an axis of the propeller 1.

The front carrier plate 4 a and the rear carrier plate 4 b and the firstflow guide elements 5 are advantageously produced from folded sheetmetals. To improve the stability, the carrier plates 4 a, 4 b and/or theflow guide elements 5 are double-walled. Here, the folded sheet metalsare expediently connected by means of rivets. A mount A produced in thisway has excellent stability.

In the region of the bottom B of the clarifier, the first flow guideelements 5 are expediently connected to a front connection element 6 aand a rear connection element 6 b. The front connection element 6 a andthe rear connection element 6 b each have a flat incident-flow face anddownstream a steeply sloping flow-off face.

The assembly unit denoted by reference sign M has a second flow guideelement 7, which extends vertically above the submersible motor 3 andhas a curved incident-flow edge.

The assembly unit M is detachably connected to a mount A, whichcomprises the carrier plates 4 a, 4 b, the first flow guide elements 5extending therefrom and the connection elements 6 a, 6 b. To detachablyconnect the assembly unit M to the mount A, a first coupling element 8 aand a second coupling element 8 b are installed on the front carrierplate 4 a and on the rear carrier plate 4 b. A third coupling element 9a corresponding to the first coupling element 8 a and a fourth couplingelement 9 b corresponding to the second coupling element 8 b areinstalled on the mounting element M.

Reference sign 10 denotes a cable. A guide 11, preferably a slottedguide, by means of which the assembly element M is guided along thecable 10, extends from the second flow guide element 7.

To lift the assembly unit M, a further cable 12 can be fixed at theassembly unit M. By exerting a tensile stress by means of the furthercable 12, a coupling between the mount A and the assembly element Mcaused by the coupling elements 8 a, 8 b, 9 a, 9 b can be detached, andthe assembly element M can be guided along the cable 10 and lifted fromthe clarifier.

As can be seen from FIG. 2, one end of the cable 10 can be guidedthrough the rear carrier plate 4 b and the front carrier plate 4 a andfastened to the assembly unit M in the region of the third couplingelement 9 a. The other end of the cable 10 can be guided via a pulley(not shown here) fixed above the clarifier and fastened at the fasteningpoint. The cable 10 can thus form a cable winch together with thefurther cable 12, by means of which the assembly unit M is guided whenlowered in the direction of the mount A and can be coupled there bycooperation of the coupling elements 8 a, 8 b, 9 a, 9 b.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

-   1 propeller-   2 gearing-   3 submersible motor-   4 a first carrier plate-   4 b second carrier plate-   5 first flow guide element-   6 a first connection element-   6 b second connection element-   7 second flow guide element-   8 a first coupling element-   8 b second coupling element-   9 a third coupling element-   9 b fourth coupling element-   10 cable-   11 guide element-   12 further cable-   A mount-   B bottom-   M assembly unit

1. A horizontal agitator for producing a flow in a clarifier, wherein asubmersible motor and a propeller drivingly connected thereto form anassembly unit, wherein a receiving portion for removably attaching theassembly unit is provided and can be supported on the bottom of theclarifier, and wherein a guide for guiding the assembly unit along asubstantially vertical movement path between a surfacing position abovea maximum nominal sewage level defined for the clarifier and thereceiving portion is provided, characterised in that the guide is formedby at least one first cable extending between the surfacing position andthe receiving portion.
 2. The horizontal agitator according to claim 1,wherein the first cable is guided about a first return arrangementprovided on the receiving portion and a first end of the first cable isattached to the assembly unit.
 3. The horizontal agitator according toclaim 1, wherein a guide provided on the assembly unit surrounds thefirst cable.
 4. The horizontal agitator according to claim 1, wherein,in order to move the assembly unit along the first cable, a second cableis provided, of which the second end is attached to the assembly unit.5. The horizontal agitator according to claim 1, wherein the first endof the first cable is attached at a lower attachment point on theassembly unit and the second end of the second cable is attached atleast at one upper attachment point on the assembly unit.
 6. Thehorizontal agitator according to claim 1, wherein the upper attachmentpoint is offset in relation to a centre of gravity of the assembly unit,such that the assembly unit suspended at least at one upper attachmentpoint adopts a sloping position, in which an axis of the propeller runsin a manner sloping with respect to the bottom of the clarifier.
 7. Thehorizontal agitator according to claim 1, wherein a third end of thefirst cable is received on a first winch provided above the maximumnominal sewage level and a fourth end of the second cable is received ona second winch provided above the maximum nominal sewage level.
 8. Thehorizontal agitator according to claim 1, wherein the first and thesecond cable are combined to form a circulating cable, which is guidedabove the surfacing position about a second return arrangement,preferably a third winch.
 9. The horizontal agitator according to claim7, wherein the first and the second winch or the second returnarrangement is attached to a provided bridge or a frame fitted in theregion of the surfacing position.
 10. The horizontal agitator accordingto claim 1, wherein the assembly unit has a first coupling arrangement,and wherein the receiving portion is provided with a second couplingarrangement corresponding to the first coupling arrangement, such thatthe assembly unit can be releasably coupled to the receiving portion bycooperation of the first and the second coupling arrangement.
 11. Thehorizontal agitator according to claim 1, wherein the first couplingarrangement has a first coupling element, which, during the couplingprocess, engages with a second coupling element of the second couplingarrangement, said coupling element being provided on the receivingportion.
 12. The horizontal agitator according to claim 1, wherein thefirst coupling arrangement has a third coupling element, which, duringthe coupling process, engages with a fourth coupling element of thesecond coupling arrangement, said fourth coupling element being providedon the receiving portion, wherein a clamped or latched connection isproduced.